Lost File: Corbin Love SubRosa
by Wolfkcing
Summary: A RavenJinx slash story. Actually a spin off to my story No Room Left in Hell. What becomes of our heroes after the loss of Jump City?
1. Sodom

**Lost file: Corbin Love Subrosa**

This is a spinoff of my story No Room Left In Hell. You may want to read it to know what's going on.

I'm not up to writing a real sequel to No Room Left in Hell. Sorry.

**Chapter One: Sodom**

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* * *

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The city had taken something from her. Not the city she was entering, but the one she was escaping. It wasn't the feeling of wrong that troubled her young mind, though. It was the fact that she didn't even know what she'd lost. But the tempest inside her head would have to wait. Another pressing matter had been plaguing her for hours. A familiar need. The need to feed.

She peered from the safety of darkness at what she hoped would help her quell that need. A young couple strolled along looking very out of place amongst the devastation that most called an alley and rats called home.

'Rats!' She would never look at those little buggers the same again, the girl thought as she watched the couple attempt to locate something. They were obviously lost and frightened. This would make her task even easier.

"You sure it's this way?" the curly-haired woman asked her companion.

"Just one more street baby, I swear," the man said, eyes darting from one shadow to the next.

"I think you're out of time 'baby,'" a new voice sneered with amusement. The eyes of the couple sought him out. Their faces paled.

"You know the drill. You pay a toll and maybe you'll see your mother again," the thug at the other end of the alley said. Two other equally dangerous looking men flanked him.

Jinx grumbled. Her prey had been stolen by other predators. At this very minute the young couple complied with the demands of the thugs.

'Oh, well. Probably didn't have much anyway,' she told herself.

"She's pretty cute," one thug said, eyeing the young woman. Fear overcame her features.

Jinx growled. 'Typical, predictable pieces of sh-'

"Hey, baby. Why don't you come party with us? This guy's no good for you. Look at the job he done protecting ya," the leader said, pulling the woman close to him and grabbing her rear.

"Please, no. Just let me go..." she began to cry.

"Leave her-" the man said and was struck down. He lay amongst the trash, out cold. The thugs dissolved into a fit of laughter. The woman screamed. There went her last chance of escape. How had it come to this?

"One hit! You the man!" one said to the other. In a flash and a gush of wind he was level with the man they had assaulted. Something had fell on him. That something turned her catlike pink eyes on the leader.

"What the-" he was cut off by a shot to the nose. Several blows followed, one to the chest, a knee and an elbow to the back of the head. Each felt like a steel bat greeting his flesh and bone. He fell, not to rise on his own strength for a long time. Jinx glared at the last thug who stood mouth agape. He didn't know what she was, and pride only clouded fear until he looked at his friends. She had dispatched them in less than a minute. Her inhuman glower made him think twice. He turned in place and ran.

Jinx stared at the wad of cash and change dropped during the fight. It was what she had originally been seeking. The material that could do away with her famished state. Knowing the terrified woman was watching her, Jinx just continued to stare at it. It was rightfully hers now. She had earned it! She was going to take it anyway and what could this petty human do to stop her?

"Um...Excuse me...?" the woman's soft frightened voice reached her ears. Still, Jinx was counting the cash before her with her eyes.

"You...you saved my life..."

Those words struck a chord with Jinx. It made memories ring like the bells of a doughty old tower. They flooded her thoughts. She did not welcome them however.

"Miss...?" the woman was directly behind her now.

"Here!" Jinx said, shooting a hand out at the woman, who flinched as if to prepare for a blow. Jinx only waited. When the woman opened one eye, she found money in Jinx's waiting hand. She was puzzled.

"No...no you keep it," she said to Jinx.

Jinx frowned at the money. Somehow it had lost its luster. Forces she could not understand tarnished its allure. Why was this happening? She was criminal! A damn good one. Now she was passing up free money.

"We'll, I don't want to argue," Jinx said, moving to walk past the woman in a very careless manner.

"Wait. What's your name?" the woman asked. Jinx turned and walked back up to her with a warm smile and patted her on the head.

"That's a secret," Jinx whispered in her ear. She then squatted and in a single bound, leapt onto the roof. She was out of sight less then a second after.

The woman watched wordlessly. She reached back to inspect a sudden itch disturbing her maroon, curly hair. Something was tangled in it. When her hand returned with the offender she found herself staring at the cash she had just offered her rescuer.

* * *

'Why did I do that?'

An hour later she was on another rooftop, a new situation to make her empty pockets wholesome presenting itself.

'I'm a criminal. Going soft doesn't get the bills paid. So to speak.'

The rumbling in her stomach almost blurred her thoughts. Her catlike eyes fixed on activity below. She was in a quite part of town surrounded by warehouses that no longer got much attention from the people who made them. The perfect place for underhanded dealings. A group of men working below seemed to have found use of warehouse number 1394. They had spent hours loading it up with what Jinx easily recognized as stolen goods. Mostly paintings. Jinx watched the men and formulated her plan.

* * *

Rico Lambast, reeking of cheap cologne and sweat from his shift, couldn't be more happy to be leaving his 'job' in the warehouse district. Every time he neared the place with his comrades, he suffered a fit of paranoia. A long life of crime had taught him the long arm of the law was never out of reach. Just because no one used this area didn't make it safe.

"Any spare change?" A voice came from out of nowhere. Rico jumped and whirled to face the stranger. His defenses fell and his anger rose when all he saw was some homeless person in rags extending him a chipped mug.

"Not for you darling," he spat.

"Sure? I don't like this answer. No," the woman's voice was strangely craggy, but it sounded deliberate. Something was wrong. Rico just knew it. "Try you're pockets again. I'm sure there's something you can lend an ol' girl down on her luck. A girl who's seen something she should not have seen?"

Their activity, Rico realized. She must have seen them storing their commodities. "You saying you want to rat on us?" Rico growled, reaching for her. He knew what he had to do with potential stole pigeons. The woman bounded out of reach. Her hood tipped up and unholy pink orbs burned in the darkness that surrounded them.

"How much is it worth to you for me to keep silent?" she shouted, sounding younger, but much more deadly. Her tattered cloak began to bellow. A gust of wind disturbed the trash at her feet. Pink-lighted creatures danced around her. She was a demonic sight if ever Rico had seen one.

"Wh-what do you want?" Rico cried now certain he was no match for whatever this thing was. Why him? He didn't want to die yet! He wasn't that bad of a guy, was he?

"I am from a thriving religious community, but funding for such a misunderstood culture is scarce. Even in this wonderful melting pot called America. Make a contribution?" the voice came out in a hiss and fought the wind now spiraling around them both.

"Ya want money?" was really the only part Rico's frightened mind connected with. He reached into his pockets and tossed his entire nights earnings before the entity.

"Oh, generous sir!" the creature cried, scrambling over the money and picking it up. "My lord Zoamelgustar(1) smiles upon thee!" She rose then sprung from the ground in a brilliant leap. She landed on the roof of a warehouse and ran off.

Rico was left to wonder if any of that really happened. The feeling it did was aided by the missing weight in his pockets. His eyes trailed to where the strange woman had been standing. Something was still there. She had left the money! Without caring for explanation, he gathered it up and left the district with haste. He later learned it was two thousand dollars. Only half of what he originally had.

* * *

Jinx crept back through her apartment window with a small degree of difficulty. Shuffling, a box of Chinese food, two Subway Sandwiches and a case of soda would give even the best of super-powered teenagers trouble. Jinx now occupied a rutty one-room establishment with what the owner claimed was a kitchen. In reality it was just a collection of old shelves near a sink and a stove that didn't work. Jinx moved her goods to the center of the creaky wooden floor and began to chow down. Her only company was gaudy pictures of boats that watched her from walls checkered with cracks. A brown couch with buff arm cushions was at her back, and behind that was a mattress and box spring. A desk and lamp waited in the corner. Along the same wall was the entrance and a small closet full of electronics that no longer were able to serve their purpose. The TV stand before her had a much easier life. It had no TV to burden it.

"Zaomelgustar," Jinx snorted with amusement.

As Jinx stuffed herself, quickly downing the contents of the white box embellished with its red dragons and then starting in on her sandwiches. Her feast was disturbed by an unwelcome presence. It had managed to find her every day since she left Jump City. Loneliness. It boomed at times like this; in silence when she was forced into being her own sense of companionship, and that was no companionship at all.

How had it come to this? What had she had before this? The organization! The Hive. She may not have had anyone she could truly call a friend, but there had always been someone to take her mind off herself. But she couldn't go back to them. She simply couldn't. She had an affliction for the very idea. She found no desire in the least to see any of them again. She liked being free. But being free seemed to have its cost.

Draining one more can of soda, Jinx tossed it on the floor and decided that she was done for the day. She rose in only a white tank top and thin cotton boxers. Her attire was the result of the season. It was the middle of summer and of course her "generous" landlord didn't have a working air-conditioner.

Jinx turned off the lights and lie down on her bed. Tonight she had secured enough funds to finance her current lifestyle for at least a couple weeks. Maybe even months if she really stretched it. But where would this lead? If she didn't become part of some organization, would this be it? Cooped up in this little room alone? Forever?

* * *

It was dawn. The light butting into the room was proof enough of that. It had been about a week. Jinx did the first thing she had done every morning since acquiring her bed and board. She turned over, looked at the mess she had made the night before, and turned back over hopping it wouldn't be there when she woke up later.

* * *

"You have got to get a hold of yourself," Jinx told the mirror. Her arms clasped the sides of the sink as she finally had it out with herself. "This can't go on! What happened to the party girl? The troublemaker? I'm just wasting away in this little corner of a roach nest called a city. So what are we going to do today?" Jinx waited for an answer. "Oh, Jinx you never were a smart one, so I'll tell you. We're going to join whatever villain softball team this city has going! Shouldn't be hard. You got stats. You got cred. You got a resume!" Jinx giggled at herself and left the bathroom. She was prepared to do what she had to do to keep herself happy and her sanity, which she believed was ailing.

She strode into the center of the room, noting the amount of light entering it from the window and the trouble it would cause her. She had been lucky none of the residents of Arizona recognized her so far, although all her errands had been run at night. It might be a different story if they got a good look at her.

"Gonna have to wait for the darkness..." Jinx said and collapsed before her couch. Sitting on it was out of the question. The burly big thing absorbed more heat than a solar panel and it was hot enough as it was.

"Note to self. Buy or steal a fan," Jinx said, fanning herself with her hand.

The hours trickled by in a maddeningly slow pace. Jinx never wanted to experience it ever again. Once she found her new crew she never wanted to be aloud to go bored again. This was somehow worse than prison. At least with prison things were going on around her. Usually Gizmo formulating an escape plan.

Finally. The sun was setting and Jinx was dressed up in her old Hive outfit. In about fifteen minutes she'd be ready to stalk the night again. Then something extraordinary happened. There was a knock at the door.

Jinx tensed and wondered if she had imagined it. Under the agreement she had with the landlord no one would ever knock. She dealt with him in person. She paid him in person. An arrangement many of his typical, unsavory clients liked. An arrangement she liked.

Another knock.

'What to do? Who the hell could this be? I'm not late. I paid that fat bastard for a whole month! So who could it be?'

She would never know what it was that had caused her to risk her freedom and open that door, but she would be forever grateful that she did.

"Raven?" Jinx choked.

* * *

Her pink eyes, filled with surprise, ran up and down the figure standing in her doorway several times. Standing there in pair of black jeans and a white shirt was indeed the female teen Titan.

Jinx took a step back and made a strange sound with her throat. Titan! Jinx thought. Her eyes darted to the window and back to Raven who had now entered her home.

"What a pleasant surprise," Jinx said out of habit. It should have actually been delivered with overconfidence and intent to throw her 'enemy' off his or her game as was the way with villains and villainesses. Instead it just hung in the air while Jinx looked like cornered rat.

"You say that but that's not what you mean," Raven observed. 'I should have know it would be this way. What was I thinking?'

Jinx waited for Raven to make her intentions clear. It wasn't happening. The Titan just stood there.

"So..." Jinx said. She looked like an animal ready to fight or take flight.

"Jinx..." Raven started. "You left before I could thank you."

Jinx was floored by this announcement. It was painfully evident as her jaw just hung open and no words formed.

"Ya wha?" Jinx finally blurted out.

"You saved my life," Raven said simply. "When I woke up, you were gone."

"Yeah, well. I was pretty sure you guys had a nice four walled room all picked out for me and a free pair of pajamas, but as it so happens stripes make me look fat!" Jinx said. Raven's head stooped slightly. It was true after all. She would have had to throw Jinx in jail if she had stuck around too long.

Jinx observed Raven's sadness, but had to push her interest in its meaning aside. She had her freedom to think of.

"So that's why you're here, right? To take me back?" Jinx said with a hint of bitterness.

"No..." Raven said. Shaking her head.

"What?"

"No," Raven said again. "I don't have the authority. The worth of my title is in jeopardy Jinx. With no city to protect..." Raven didn't finish.

"I...see..." Jinx said, realizing that that had to be a sore spot for the Titan. The loss of Jump City affected the hero more than Jinx had even thought to consider. When it was over run with the zombie infestation the government deemed it a lost cause and wiped it off the face of the earth with a bomb in order to protect the rest of the country.

"So I just wanted to thank you for saving my life. However many times you did," Raven said. Her eyes took a quick scan of the room before settling on the girl who owned it again.

"Um...sure." Jinx said. Silence ruled then.

"You tracked me all the way to Arizona?" Jinx asked.

"I find I have an awful lot of free time at the moment," Raven said.

"Oh..."

"And I had an idea which way you'd went given your circumstances. Well...I guess I'll leave you then," Raven said, turning to leave.

"Wait," Jinx said instinctively. After all, that is what you said when you didn't want someone to leave. Raven turned her sharp blue eyes on Jinx expectantly. Jinx had never felt this awkward in her entire life. She didn't want the Titan to leave. Part of her knew why, even if she wasn't ready to admit it to herself.

"You gotta long trip back. It's almost dark. You can stay here..."

"Looks...cozy..." the sarcasm Jinx had just now realized she missed tempted her.

"It's frig'n paradise now come on in!" Jinx said pulling the Titan into her abode.

* * *

(1) Slayers reference. 


	2. I Create Another Day

Lost File: Corbin Love Sub-Rosa.

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Two quick notes: (1)My beta reader is back! Has been back since the end of No Room Left in Hell actually. Send your praise to Wabbit. Well... go on then!

(2)This story won't be very long.

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**Chapter Two:** **"I create another day"**

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* * *

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'There's a Titan in my home!' Jinx was reminded with every sound Raven made as she walked around her apartment. Jinx cursed when Raven's eyes settled on the pile of trash that had once kept various fast foods fresh and appetizing. It was now a huge eye sore.

"Sorry about that!" Jinx said, bounding between Raven and the mess. "I think the housekeepers got drunk again and forgot to clean my room..."

"Right..." Raven said dryly.

"Ok! So I've been a little busy," Jinx said, raising her hands and concentrating on the pile. Her eyes flashed pink. A sudden gust swept the litter all into one corner. Jinx was relieved. Now all she had to do was stuff it all into a bag. Having no trash bags, she settled for reusing the bags they came in.

"I thought your power only made things worse..." Raven commented.

"Yeah...I got lucky tonight. Usually when I try this trick stuff goes everywhere," Jinx said, finishing her task then moving the bags into the kitchen. All the while her attention was glued to Raven even when she wasn't looking directly at her. Raven gave her attention to the window. She looked casual enough. Why had she decided to stay?

"How are your friends?" Jinx asked from the kitchen.

While Raven continued to enjoy the falling sun her tone managed to become a tad darker seemingly in response to the question..

"Miserable. Robin went off alone after Umbrella. He insists on doing it on his own which makes Starfire miserable. Beast Boy's parents took him off the team and banned him from joining another and that makes Cyborg miserable. So together their miserable and that makes me miserable."

"I'm...sorry...?"

"Don't be. Things are as they are," Raven said.

"You want something to eat? I've got food. You might as well have some. It'll turn blue by morning. This fridge don't work so good," Jinx said.

The hospitality of a criminal, Raven thought. She briefly wondered how Jinx obtained her meals. Not that it mattered much anymore. The Titans, for the time being, were out of commission. She didn't feel she had the right to tell this girl what to do. But should she be sharing bed and board with such a dangerous individual?

"Ow!" Jinx howled. Raven looked to see soda cans escaping a cardboard case that lay at Jinx's feet. "Dropped it on my foot..." Jinx explained chasing the fleeing beverages.

'Like I said. Dangerous individual,' Raven thought. A tingle pulled at the corners of her lips as she watched Jinx recover the soda cans.

"Guess that means you're on vacation then," Jinx said and handed Raven half a Subway sandwich and a drink. Jinx sat on the floor and motioned for Raven to join her. They ate mostly in silence. The mere presence of Raven caused Jinx's mind to blaze with questions, but right now she focused on Raven's crest fallen expression.

"Cheer up Raven. It could be worse."

"How?"

"Hey! You're not supposed to ask that!" Jinx exclaimed.

"Sounds like a reasonable question to me," Raven told her.

"Well...I'm trying to cheer you up and I'm not very good at it, so cut me some slack, ok?"

Raven thought over the request. Raven was a girl who liked to confront the reality of the situation. She was not in the habit of imagining bright sides to grim circumstances when there were none. It was how she functioned and she had long considered it a strength.

"I'm fine," Raven said. "I have to accept fate."

"Oh, you're fine, huh? They why aren't you smiling?" Jinxed challenged.

Raven looked at Jinx blankly. Jinx nearly mirrored her expression as she awaited an answer.

"I'm not saying I'm happy about it," Raven dropped her gaze, "just that I can deal with it."

"Really?"

"Yes. It looks highly likely that the Titans will be disbanded. Then I'll just go home-"

"That sounds like a plan!" Jinx cheered. "'Sept you don't sound to happy about going home either."

Raven reflected on this point.

"I'm...not..." Raven admitted. She hadn't expected to miss her team as much as she did. Two weeks ago she would never have conceived a longing for Starfire's mindless babble and overwhelming nativity, Beast Boy's kindness and immaturity, Robins intelligence and over-competitive streaks and Cyborg's cooking and his temper. She missed their flaws and their specialties. She missed her team. But she wasn't the kind of girl to let her desire destroy her. She didn't need a shoulder to cry on.

"I can handle this," Raven vowed, her resolve restored.

"If you're sure," Jinx said, finishing her meal. By this time the heat was getting to her. She had only dawned her leather witch-like outfit because she intended to leave. She tried to ignore the sweat pouring down her body in clumps. Another irritating silence had found them. Jinx attacked it with words.

"I don't mean to sound mean," Jinx started, a smile tugging at her lips as she tried to remain serious, "But I kinda hope that super-villain bully squad you call a team doesn't get back together. Then maybe I can keep you here forever."

Raven didn't take offense to this.

"And why would you want to do that?" Raven challenged.

"I donno. Can you sing? I've been meaning to pick up a cheap radio but if you can sing, well!" Jinx started.

"Wish I could say I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not," Raven said, shaking her head.

"Ah, well. Music is not the only reason people cage birds. They keep pretty ones too. Kinda like roses. Beauty and tragedy...Admired while the wither. Ya know?"

Raven was blushing. Was she being compared to birds and roses? She believed her cheeks must not be as red as they felt, because Jinx hadn't noticed. She was still rambling.

Jinx paused to consider something then. Raven took another bite of her sandwich.

"Lost my train of thought..."Jinx confessed.

"I'll bet that happens often..." Raven commented.

"Was that a joke? How cruel! I saved your life!"

"Now you must deal with the consequences of your actions," Raven told her.

"Eh?." Jinx was surprised by Raven's retort. She burst into a fit of laughter.

The rest of the evening was more of the same. Without a TV Jinx felt obligated to entertain her guest with wry comments and stories. While Jinx seemed like a typical teenage drop out and adolescent there were often thought provoking observations mixed in the enigmatic way in which she spoke that revealed a respectable level of intelligence and a near equal level of silliness. Raven actually liked trying to 'decode' her commentary.

"Raven..." Jinx said.

"Yes?"

"Clothes."

"What of them?"

"You're wearing some! What's up with that?"

"I didn't want to scare your friends off by showing up dressed as a Titan."

"But you still got that thing on your head," Jinx said.

Raven realized she was talking about her chakra.

"I...forget it's there," Raven admitted. The sound of Jinx's resounding laughter had become commonplace by this time.

"It's getting late," Jinx said. She sat on the widow sill.

"It is," Raven agreed. Rising and only now considering where she would slumber.

"You can take the bed," Jinx said, hopping off the windowsill. Raven took a quick scan of the room and noted that there was only one bed.

"This is your home. I'll take the couch." Raven said.

"You can't fit on that thing. Even of you could, you'd be cooked like bacon. It's been sucking up heat all day." Jinx said, whipping her brow. Raven found this to be true. The strange couch was only big enough for two people to sit next to each other side by side. The huge, irremovable arm cushions would thwart any other arrangement.

"I think a guy made this couch," Jinx commented. Raven snorted.

"Say I do take the bed, just where did you plan to sleep?" Raven asked. Jinx thought over her response. She had a plan, but a pawky remark came to mind and she just couldn't resist.

"The bed," she answered Raven's question and walked up to it. Her heartbeat sped up once those words left her mouth, but it was meant as a joke...mostly. She turned to receive Raven's reaction. Raven's expression was blank.

"I'm kidding, look," Jinx recovered. She placed a foot against the mattress and shoved it off the box spring. It now resided in front of the desk and lamp. Jinx hopped onto the box spring and laid down.

"Are you sure?" Raven asked her.

"I'm sure," Jinx said, rolling to face the wall. "If it gets to uncomfortable I'll just roll off onto your bed and kick you out." She snickered.

"Hmm..." Raven sounded and said nothing more. She turned the lights out and settled into bed.

Jinx listened to the night and its surprisingly soothing chimes and beats for an own known amount of time. She could hear cars passing by her home, a train rumbling through the darkness, Raven's soft breathing and her constant shifting.

"It's hot," Jinx said.

"It is," Raven agreed.

"You want me to get you a fan?"

"From where?"

"Walmart?"

"Are they open?"

"I really have no idea."

"Forget it," Raven said.

As Jinx continued to listen, the sound of a zipper being undone hit her ears. Next she heard the ruffling of clothes confirming that Raven was indeed stripping. Jinx could only make out the silhouette. She tensed then as her eyes strained to see the display. Then it was over and Raven laid down again.

'What is wrong with me?' Jinx wondered closing her eyes tightly while analyzing her reaction to Raven's shedding of clothes. 'I didn't do anything! It's not like I could see anything… though ... if I wake up in the morning before she does...Ah! I didn't just think that! I didn't!' Jinx sighed, not liking this line of thought. It was new. And new things could be scary.

'It's not coming onto a girl that bothers me so much. Hell, I use to do it just to piss off my mentors. It's Raven. Even if she weren't my enemy, or former enemy, she's still...She's Raven! Man, what would she do if I came on to her?' It wasn't long after this thought that Jinx managed to finally fall asleep.

* * *

She could throw a thirty-five ton tank like a soft ball. She could level a building with little more than a thought and here she was watching pancakes go cold. Such was the faith of Raven. How had it come to this? Her eyes traveled back over to the slumbering girl on the box spring.

Raven inhaled deeply, then exhaled. It was almost noon. Her attempts at showing thoughtfulness by providing her roommate with breakfast were being foiled by said person's prolonged state of rest. Raven dismissed the idea of dragging her out of the bed. She was the guest after all.

"Very well. I know how to pass the time," Raven said, crossing her legs and raising her arms to begin her meditation. She levitated two feet off the ground.

"Azerath. Metrion. Zinthos," she chanted.

Jinx stirred then. A moment later she was propping herself up and rubbing her sleepy eyes. Her eyes sought out Raven first. Raven was dressed the same as the night before: black jeans, sneakers and a simple white shirt.

'Dressed? Damnation!' Jinx cursed her luck. Her intentions of getting a peep show were squandered by her own laziness. Jinx's eyes locked onto the stack of pancakes behind Raven. As she tried to understand their presence her head cocked in the direction of a soft breeze. It was a fan standing on her desk.

Jinx moved towards Raven. Before she was halfway into the room, one of Raven's eyes opened. Jinx grinned.

"Good morning." Raven said plainly enough.

"Top of the day to you," Jinx called back smartly. "Did you..." Jinx said eyes traveling back to the fan.

"Yes," Raven said.

"Why?"

"You were hot,"

"I still AM thank you very much," Jinx said cheekily. One of Raven's brows furrowed. "What about them?" Jinx said, looking at the pancakes.

"All yours, although they may be cold now."

"Wow!" Jinx said, darting for them like she'd never seen food before. Raven made little attempt to understand this.

"What time is it?" Jinx asked, looking at her wrist for a watch that wasn't there. She also noted now that she was still in her usual sleeping attire. Boxers and a tank top. It didn't seem to bother Raven so Jinx shrugged and started on her pancakes.

"It's eleven forty," Raven said.

"You have'n any?" Jinx asked.

"I already ate breakfast. You know...in the morning. Around the time most people eat breakfast?"

"Oh, sure. If you want to be normal or something," Jinx said flippantly. Raven did something rare then. She grinned. It caught Jinx by surprise and for seconds she just stared until Raven spoke again.

"Well, I'll be going now."

Jinx stopped eating. Though she said nothing, her expression revealed this was not what she had hoped for.

Somehow, Raven knew this girl wouldn't take the news well. There was some kind of link growing between them. A bond perhaps was a better word. Dare she say friendship? She almost wanted to deny its very existence. She didn't fully understand the forces that had drawn her to her own friends. How was she to comprehend one developing for a former enemy?

"I should probably try to help patch up what's left of my team. Assuming it can be mended..." Raven explained.

Jinx swallowed and prepared to speak. She could let the Titan go, she decided. But not without a fight! Jinx's mind scrambled for a diversion. A postponement. Anything!

"Well, if it's as bad as you say...wouldn't a phone call suffice..." Jinx said in a tone forced to sound careless though she was far from it. "I mean...if you fly all they way back just to find out things are still screwed up then you'll want to escape again."

Raven's eyes traveled to the phone waiting beside Jinx and her pancakes.

* * *

One of his eyes was blood red. Normally his chocolate colored human eye didn't near it in hue, but this was not a normal day. Victor Stone was pissed. He was steaming. He wasn't sure if he had ever felt this angry in all his young life.

"Pointy haired little punk. Who does he think he is skipping out on us like this?" Cyborg fumed as he paced the government building. He had seen too much of it in the past week. It was here, day after day since escaping the city of the dead, that he and his teammates were interrogated as if they had destroyed the city themselves. Well, most of his team. Robin had managed to get himself excused and was out hunting Umbrella with government aide. Beast Boy had been retrieved by his parents and was probably rotting away in a classroom somewhere.

"They're all treating us like the damn enemy! Even B's parents. They didn't even want to hear out our side of the story," Cyborg grumbled.

Starfire was no comfort. If she muttered Robin's name one more time Cyborg was sure one of his mental circuits would overload and fry what was left of his patience. And Raven...Where was Raven? Like she was any better. She probably had another lecture about how inevitable this scenario was or something. She probably thought sounding unfazed made her tougher than everyone else. Better than them all even.

Through the fog of anger he could see he was exaggerating the wicked. He knew his friends reacted reasonable for the most part. But Cyborg had the tendency to feed on negative thoughts when things were bleak.

The phone rang then. The woman at the desk Cyborg paced in front of traded words with someone then looked at Cyborg with a hint of confusion.

"It's for you Mr. Stone," she said. Cyborg walked over to the desk and accepted the phone.

"Hello?" Cyborg barley stopped himself from grumbling. "Raven? I don't know where you've been, but you might as well stay there. No...no...no... Yeah, she's still moping around. Right...bye."

There. Now Raven was miserable too. Perfect. Everyone had a piece of what he was going through. He just balanced the universe.

Cyborg crossed his arms and stared out the large glass doors that overlooked a quaint courtyard. He stared while thoughts battled thoughts for several minutes until guilt finally kicked him upside the head.

'Man, why do I do things like that! I gotta call her back..." Cyborg said, taking the phone and preparing to dial. His metallic dialing figure became idle while he came to terms with the fact that he didn't know where Raven had called him from.

"Can you trace that last call?" Cyborg asked the woman.

"I'm sorry Mr. Stone, but I can't do that. She was transferred from several different departments before her line came here. Even if she had called directly to this office, I would not be allowed to disclose such information."

Cyborg repressed a wave of annoyance. That was reasonable. Nice to see that the government respected the privacy of it's citizens... damn!

"Guess I'll wait until she calls back..." Cyborg sulked.

* * *

Raven dropped the phone and frowned at it.

"Maybe I will stick around a little longer," Raven said, biting her lower lip.

Jinx's lips slowly curved into a smile.

"Great! Now you get to play with me some more! Let's go do... do...something!"

"I don't know..."

"I do know! We will do something! Come on! I'll give you candy..." Jinx teased.

"..."

"Strangers have the best candy, Raven,"

"You would know..."

"What's that mean?"

"I'm just assuming you take little caution when dealing with those you don't know."

"Oh...that's probably true. Anyway. Come on! It'll be fun. And you need some of that."

"Nothing illegal," Raven warned. Jinx paused to think.

"You drive a hard bargain. A fun legal evening with you... hmm...I'll have to do just a little thinking, but I got you covered. You deserve to relax!"

"And who would know how to do that better than the one who helped bring me to my current state of fatigue?" Raven quipped.

"I think that's the closet you're coming to a complement so I'll take it!" Jinx said.

"You're..." Raven shook her head and buried the oncoming grin.

"Yes I am!" Jinx said raising her arms and flexing muscles she didn't have. Now that Raven thought about it, those skinny limbs really packed a punch. "Lets get ready."

"For what?" Raven asked.

"Stop asking so many questions. It won't hurt...much."

Raven went silent for moment then, "How's your leg?"

Jinx looked at her legs with a hint of confusion when it came to her. The last time Raven had seen her was after an Umbrella-made bio weapon had nearly hacked one of her precious legs off.

"They work. Still kick ass when I tell 'em too..." Jinx said.

"May I see?"

"Wha?" Jinx gaped slightly.

"The wound," Raven said, eyes trailing up Jinx's pale left leg.

Jinx stalled, but found she had no logical reason to deny the request. So why the hell was the very idea making her so nervous?

"Ok..." she said. Raven closed the distance between them and squatted before Jinx. A pale hand traced up the thigh moving the article of clothing to inspect the scars. The contact ignited a feeling of rapture that flushed through Jinx in a heartbeat. She fought to remain tranquil as the vim exited her in a shallow breath. A small eternity latter, Raven rose.

"Thought I did a better job than that. Do you want me to remove the scars?"

"No!" Jinx said, pulling away too quickly. The thought of prolonging this strange experience, though inviting, was too much for her to handle at the moment. Raven looked her quizzically. "I mean...scars are sexy! 'S-sides...you changed the subject! I was supposed to be dealing with you. Not the other way around."

* * *

An hour later they neared their destination. Jinx had learned of the carnival during her night outings, but had filed the information away under irrelevant until Raven showed up. With no transportation the girls had a nice long walk. Jinx found it necessary to talk the whole way of course. Jinx traded her bewitching outfit in for a black tank top with slit shoulder straps. It covered half her stomach. Her pink hair was tame and straight similar to Raven's. A black skirt and her usual purple and black-stripped socks and platform boots completed the look.

A large parking lot had been transformed into a colorful city of entertainment. The tops of Ferris wheels and tilt-a-whirls towered over trees and multi-colored tents. A small ocean of people filtered through the admission based property. The scent of sugary snacks and various other unhealthy foods carried from the place for a near quarter mile around.

"Ta da!" Jinx said gesturing to the establishment. "Doesn't this place look fun?"

"You don't want to know my answer. Let's just get this over with," Raven said, pushing ahead.

"I like your spunk!" Jinx cried, running after her.

"Here you are girls," the gentleman said handing Jinx and Raven their plastic guns and vests.

"You ready?"

"Wait," Raven said examining the gun. "You paid for this game,"

"Uh...yeah?"

"I can't accept this," Raven said retrieving her own wallet.

"Why not?" Jinx asked.

"I cannot enjoy leisure purchased by someone else's suffering. What hapless individuals were inconvenienced so you could live as you choose to do?" Raven quizzed her preparing to hand the man so her own money. Jinx caught the hand.

"They weren't happy-less-!"

"I said hapless-"

"What ever!" Jinx exclaimed pulling Raven away from the confused ticket man.

"I'll have you know that all the money I have at the moment was taken from _other _criminals,"

"Really?" Raven said, her eyes narrowing.

"I don't have much reason to like to you," Jinx pointed out.

"Alright," Raven said pocketing her cash. "What you did still isn't right. I had to ask. It's just the way I am."

"I guess ... it's cool. Don't let this get around, but you little motto actually kinda makes sense.

Raven turned to the cave like labyrinth before them. Inside a dozen other youths were engaged in a game of laser tag.

"Give me a head start?" Jinx asked.

"If you insist," Raven said, disinterested.

"Sweet!" Jinx said, disappearing into the dark maze. "And no powers!" Jinx said.

Two minutes later Raven entered the game. The battlefield was lit only by multicolored lamps that spun, throwing blue and green patches at the cave like wall and anything that got in the way.

Raven ventured cautiously deeper and deeper into the heart of the maze. As time ticked by she found herself anticipating an encounter with her pink-haired friend. But every time she turned a corner she found no one. This continued for several seconds more before-

"All your base are belong to us!" someone shouted. Raven reacted with the reflects of a super heroine. She darted to the side, away from oncoming red laser beams and fired. There was more than one coming at her. She moved again, several lasers screeching by her head and sides and she fired several more shots of her own. When it was all said and done, six gamers had been taken out of the game. Jinx was not among them.

"Man that chick's good..."

"I got beat by a girl! What will I tell my kids?"

"I can't die yet...I've never been loved!"

--were phrases among the chorus offset by Raven's display skills. She felt a small sense of gratification from her victory. She began to wonder if she could take Jinx out without using her powers in this silly human game. Interest led to desire and Raven decided she'd give in and entertain the idea of blasting Jinx to kingdom come.

For a time, Raven forgot the stress of responsibility. For once she reserved only enough concentration to keep her powers in check and focused all of her energy into hunting down Jinx.

"The air is fresh with blood. Your body count hangs over you like a pawn... I saw what you did to those poor saps." Her voice echoed off the fake walls.

"Where did you learn to talk like that?" Raven said with a hint of amusement. As she looked around, adrenalin was being released into her system. She wanted to win! She had to be ready, but she couldn't use her powers to pluck Jinx from the shadows.

"I...have no idea... Listening to you, I think..." the voice responded. Raven whirled in the direction she thought the voice came from to find nothing.

"Marko..." Raven said flatly. Jinx snickered.

'Damn. Where is she,' Raven cursed.

"Ah...you look so cute down there..." Jinx said. Realization hit like lighting. Raven's head snapped up to see a red laser coming down. She darted back and it hit the ground near her sneakers. Jinx, by this time, was running across several high rises in the cave like dwellings.

"No powers, huh, Jinx?" Raven accused firing several shots from her gun at the fleeing target.

"I didn't use my powers to get up here!" Jinx called back. She resisted the urge to cartwheel away from the oncoming fire and slid down a slope of the small mountain. She let off a round then dived for cover. Her heart was pounding in her ears. Once again, and she and Raven were on opposite sides.

"Seems like old times, aye Ravy?" Jinx said, peaking from behind her rock and firing at Raven's fleeting form.

"Why don't you like my name?" Raven asked, finding cover of her own. She fired at Jinx but she had ducked out of sight again avoiding the lasers.

"Wh-what makes you say that?" Jinx asked, listening for Raven's movements and fearing she may have done something wrong. Not that that was anything new to Jinx.

"You keep changing it to your liking..." Raven said, stealthy closing in on Jinx's location.

"Actually I think people give more than one name to things they think about too much. Like money. How many words do you know that are slang for money?"

"How many words do you know of that are slang for 'I got you,'" Raven said. Jinx had only enough time to peer up at the smug dark haired girl sitting on her barrier before a low red laser beam ended the bout.

Raven stared at her beeping plastic chess piece, astounded. She didn't care that her emotions were painted clear on her face. She didn't care that she had managed to take Jinx out of the game as she planned. She just wanted to know how Jinx had managed to hit her as well.

"You're a sneaky one. I will remember that," Jinx said, tapping her temple. Her chest piece was also blinking.

"How-?" Raven started.

"Quickest set of hands this side of the Rio Grande, they is!" Jinx said, blowing her nails and whipping them on her top. "Who's up for a rematch!"

Raven's trained expression didn't reveal her want for another game.

"Well, don't all jump at once," Jinx said.

* * *

"Oh man my feet hurt," Jinx whined as the girls entered her quite apartment. Jinx stumbled onto the couch then rolled onto the floor. Raven came to stand over her from, sprawled out as it was, and looked down at her for a minute before dropping to sit beside her.

"My feet.." Jinx whined, kicking her boots off. "Too much walking. Usually I sprint across roof tops."

Raven wasn't really listening. Rational thought had found her. She was sharing company with a criminal. Why was she associating with a criminal? How did she convince herself this was ok again? She could scarcely remember.

"What's wrong?" Jinx said, becoming concerned herself.

"Shouldn't be doing this," Raven confessed.

'Not this again...' Jinx thought.

"I'm supposed to be a Titan... and you're a-"

"A what?" Jinx spat sitting up, eyes for the first time hard and offended. She reminded Raven of a snake. "A criminal? Vermin? Evil? Well, I'm sorry! But there is nothing I can do about that now! I was attacked while in prison, remember? Why don't you drag my ass back to one. That way at least you can feel better," Jinx huffed on the verge of tears. Did she really mean that? Well it was already out now, so she supposed she'd just have to deal with the mess her big mouth had gotten her into.

"No wait...Jinx," Raven said, flustered her hand reached for her then fell to her lap. What could she say? "I'm sorry," she said first. "This is just new to me."

"Good..." Jinx whipping at her eyes lids. "I didn't really want to be mad at you."

"I shouldn't be upsetting you. This is my problem. I just need to-"

"Shut up already. If you were perfect I wouldn't want to be around you," Jinx said removing her socks and rubbing he feet. Raven smirked.

"Fair enough," Raven said.

"Damn..." Jinx cursed looking at her lonely TV stand.

"What's wrong?"

"I meant to get a TV while we were out,"

"And we still don't know if Walmart's open twenty four seven. It wasn't in Jump city."

"We should have gotten some food too. This is all your fault Ravy."

"How do you figure that?" Raven said, narrowing her brows. Jinx loved when she did that.

"You distracted me aaaaaaall day," Jinx sang.

"Yeah. I'm sure you're normally much more organized than this. How long have you been living here? And it wasn't until I showed up that this air-condition impaired room got a fan."

"Ouch. Touché," Jinx said, flicking her index finger across her forehead at Raven as if whipping blood from an imaginary cut.

"And don't call me Ravy."

"Awww..."

"Zip it," Raven cut her off. Jinx was grinning. "That was good observation you had earlier."

"Eh?"

"About people having more than one name for things they think about too much..."

Jinx swallowed. Surely Raven didn't suspect her own need to give Raven more than one came stemmed from a growing adoration? Raven's expression was unreadable again. 'She probably thinks I'm just being silly,'

"Yep. People think entirely too much. That's the real problem here," Jinx said, eyes shifting away from Raven's gaze.

"Yeah. We should be more like you and forget necessities like electric fans," Raven said.

"You don't get tired of busting my bubble do you?" Jinx asked.

"I suppose I don't," Raven said, smirking.

"I made you smile!"

"So what?" Raven said, crossing her arms. People really got too much of a kick out of seeing her smile. It wasn't that amazing.

"Who else makes you smile this often?" Jinx attacked, leaning forward until she was on all fours. "Starfire? Robin?"

"I...donno. I don't count..."

"What's the funniest thing you've ever seen?" Jinx asked, fully intending to take notes on whatever information Raven would spare.

"I...Cyborg being knocked off his feet by a ball of...old underwear and sweat socks..." Raven said, quickly in an effort to end the conversation. Jinx, of course, wanted more details.

"How did this come about?" Jinx's pink catlike eyes were wide with interest. Subconsciously, Raven found she liked something about them, but was unable to determine what. The words kept attacking her thoughts though.

"I threw it at him." The mere memory of the big tin man's expression as he ran from a projectile of his, and Beast boy's own creation, was starting to make her giggle now.

"You did?" Jinx was beside herself. "Aw Raven. You think you know a girl then you find out she used old underwear as a weapon."

"He didn't even see it coming," Raven said, reliving the moment. "He had just beamed Beast Boy with it and I just happened to be standing there. I grabbed it and turned on him..."

"Hah! I knew you had it in you! Here," Jinx cheered, then extended her foot to Raven's lap. "Rub my feet."

"Yeah, then -," Raven said, accepting Jinx's foot then letting it go with a start. Jinx exploded with laughter. Raven looked at her own hands like they had betrayed her.

"Don't feel too bad Raven," Jinx gasped between fits of giggles. "I hypnotized you!" Raven waited for further explanation. "I did! I do this all the time to Gizmo. If someone is going on and on about something and you ask 'em to do something at just the right time, they'll do it! You should try it. I once got Mammoth to clean my entire room!"

"I see..." Raven said, still looking at her hands as of they were not her own for the great Raven and founding member of the Titans did not rub the feet of the enemy willingly. What surprised her more was that she had not heard of this very human fault that Jinx knew of.

"I think it's like how if you hold a chicken upside down and draw lines in the sand, it's suppose to got into a trance," Jinx explained. "But who would want to? When alive, those things are pretty damn ugly."

"Similarly, they say if you rub an alligators belly it'll fall asleep," Raven said.

"Mmm...that works on me too."

"We'll take you're word on that," Raven said yawning.

"Awww..."

"Zip it."

"Zipping!"

"Now lets go get some food," Raven instructed.


	3. Discord

**Lost File: Corbin Love Sub-Rosa.**

**Chapter three: Discord**

**

* * *

**

"This was a mistake, Jinx said with certainty from the waist high stone wall separating the beach from the paved walkway. She hadn't reached this conclusion just because of the number of guys her bathing suit garbed friend had to literally chase away every ten to fifteen minutes. It was because she realized more and more that she wanted to do the same thing the males were doing. Court Raven.

Jinx's eyes fell on the soft drinks she had just purchased for them. Then they trailed back to Raven in her black bikini. The dark mage had just chased off another young suitor. Jinx didn't see them as threats. Raven told her she wasn't interested in that kind of companionship at the moment and Jinx believed her, knowing how stubborn she could be.

'What am I doing? Am I supposed to be her friend or what? 'Cause I seem to just want her form myself.' Jinx, once again, left much of her problems unresolved and walked to join Raven.

"Thank you," Raven said, accepting the bottled beverage while Jinx sat next to her on their towel. Their eyes took in the constantly shifting water on the shore.

"What'cha thinking about?" Jinx asked after a time.

"Nothing really. What about you?"

"Dido," Jinx said with a grin. "Guess that makes us two girls with head's full of nothing."

"You more often than I."

"Very funny. How's Sherry?" Jinx asked.

Raven swallowed before she spoke.

"She'll live. I had to tell her what happened to her parents. I think it would have been harder for her if someone else had told her..." Raven said, reliving the moment. "Didn't think she'd ever stop crying."

"Sorry I brought it up," Jinx said sincerely.

"It's alright. We'd all do better to face our demons head on rather than try and wait until conditions meet our standards," Raven proclaimed.

"How the hell do you know all this stuff? I'm almost a year older than you!"

"Live and learn," Raven shrugged. "Try to do both at the same time," she added smugly.

Jinx just stared at her companion then. This girl next to her was incredible, gorgeous, smart and, in her own unique way, down right hilarious. It was amazing to Jinx that she didn't find this near perfect specimen offensive.

But Raven wasn't perfect. In fact, many of the traits Jinx admired were probably turn offs for other people. Her bluntness, sarcasm and tendency to restrain her emotions made her difficult for some to understand but in contrast, Jinx was drawn to them.

The more she thought about Raven, the stronger the spell of attraction grew and the more it affected her physically. Her breath became raspy and her face tinted a noticeable shade of red.

'She's...so...beautiful...' Jinx's insides were unraveling. She felt like they were turning into cream. Senses melted, she was dizzy and overrun with unfamiliar sensations. She knew now what it all meant. What it could only mean. She was in love and with another girl.

'I'm so stupid! I knew this was where things were going and did I back off? No!' Jinx scolded herself.

"Jinx, could you put some lotion on my back?" Raven asked, jogging Jinx from her reverie and offering her the bottle.

'Wha? Ah! No F—ing way! These hands cannot be trusted!' Jinx rationalized.

"Oh...uh Just a sec. I really gotta go," Jinx said and hastily darted for the snack huts.

Raven shrugged and laid down to await Jinx's return. She watched the water for an unknown amount of time. It was immensely relaxing. If only the world could be as simple as the water covering more that half its surface for at least a moment.

"Hey good looking. You come here often?"

Raven figured that was fate's way of saying "Hell no!"

"If you people don't lea-" Raven growled, turning to confront the interloper. "Beast Boy?"

* * *

'This is going well,' Jinx told herself sarcastically. She sat on a stool at a snack bar. 'Why? Why? Why? Why did I have to...She'll never accept an ugly, scrawny, little troll like me. What should I do? Run away? I can't just leave her high and dry. I should...I should slowly...cut myself out of the picture.' The thought made Jinx's heart sink but she figured it was nothing compared to the pain of rejection. 'Next time her friends call for her, I'll tell her to go back to them.'

* * *

"You're the last person I would expect to see lounging around on a beach," Beast Boy said. The former Titan changeling sat beside Raven on her towel. His once lime-green skin was now of a tanned Caucasian hue. He had told Raven it was the result of a special solution developed by S.T.A.R. labs to help him fit in with society.

"I'm the last person I'd expect to see here too," Raven confessed. "But I've had certain..." Raven trailed off sensing she had lost Beast Boy's short attention span. She was right.

"My eyes are up here Gar,"

"Huh? Oh! Yeah! Heh. Sorry," Beast Boy, also known as Garfield Logan, stammered and scratched the back of his head. 'Man's she's huge right there! Why didn't I ever notice before? Oh, the lost time!'

"So...you here all by yourself?" the changeling asked.

"No. Jinx is with me," Raven answered calmly.

"Oh. That's-what? Jinx?" Beast Boy exclaimed. Raven simply nodded. "But how? Why?"

"I like her," Raven answered almost wanting to shrug. "It's funny, I didn't actually realize that until you asked me."

"But she's a bad guy-er, I mean gal!"

"She isn't doing anything wrong and neither of us has the authority to be bring her in if she were," Raven warned. Beast Boy's jaw worked for more words but none came out.

"Well...I'm sure you know what your doing," Beast Boy said finally, digging his feet into the sand then slowly moving them to point his toes at the sky. "You did go on about how she helped you back in the Umbrella lab."

"Thanks," Raven said.

"It's really good to see you again, Raven," Beast Boy told her.

"What exactly are you doing here?" Raven asked without responding to his comment. He wasn't surprised.

"Family outing," Beast Boy answered in a weary and uninterested manner. He gazed at the sky. "I miss the team Raven."

"Me too Gar," Raven revealed.

The former Titans talked for an hour before Beast Boy's parents located him and dragged him off. With a quick good bye, Raven saw her friend whisked off by his overprotective sires(1). He barely convinced them to allow him to get a drink for the long trip back on his own. The changeling stopped in his tracking when he spotted yet another attractive female a little older than him sulking by the bar.

"This place is swarming with babes. Raven included, once she gets some sun on that skin," Beast Boy observed. "Can't believe I still don't have one phone number! Here's my last chance to redeem myself."

"Hey there. That's some extreme hair. Need an extreme dude to make it stand on end?" Beast Boy delivered his line in a voice he himself found irresistible. The pink head of straight hair turned until pink catlike eyes were on the changeling.

"Hold it. You look-Jinx!" Best Boy said hopping away from her on pure instinct.

Jinx became panic stricken. She had been recognized!

"Oh! That is seriously messed up. I'm sorry," Beast Boy tried to explain waving his arms wildly.

"Who are you!" Jinx demanded, her temper bristling. She stood, fists to her sides, preparing to summon her hex power.

"Beast Boy!" the boy shouted quickly.

Jinx's eyes narrowed on the boy. She realized it was the changeling with normal colored skin. Knowing it was an ex-Titan wasn't really much more comforting than thinking he was some panicking civilian.

"What are you doing here?" Jinx asked suspiciously.

"Living! Geeze! Calm down. I say Raven a little while ago," Beast Boy said taking a seat and then making an order. After a moment, Jinx sat down herself.

"Guess she did kinda tip me of for once. I shouldn't have been surprised," Beast Boy said.

"What?"

"After we all escaped Jump City and you disappeared we had to get our story straight for the investigators and whoever else wanted to know. She wouldn't let anybody mess up your part in the tale. Talked about how you protected the little girl and stuff. She like, went on about how great you were and stuff. Well...technically she only said about three nice things about you, but you've got to realize for Raven that's a lot! I think you really impressed her," Beast Boy concluded.

Jinx was flattered but an inner sadness drowned it out. She had just decided to abandon Raven.

"Well, I gotta go. See you around, ok?" Beast Boy said, hopping off his stool with his slurpy and darting towards two adults with disapproving glares trained on him.

'So...' Jinx began to ponder, 'She really does like me...I suspected as much but it really hits home when you hear it from someone's mouth.' She sighed contently, pleased with the knowledge that she had done a difficult deed. She had won Raven's approval. It soon gave way to anguish.

'I have to let her go...' Jinx vowed. She intended to spare them both the pain of her fault. 'Next time her friends call, I'm sending that bird on her way.'

* * *

Jinx's attempts to detach herself from Raven didn't go over well. She began by 'short talking' her love interest. Limiting her responses and trying to be in general of little interest to Raven. To bore the mage and make her wonder why she was staying with Jinx. Raven became suspicious instantly so Jinx blamed her social stupor on a headache and returned to her bubbling nature the next day. Jinx latter contemplated reminding Raven to call her friends, but it was simply too risky. Raven was too sharp. It had now been a week, and a peaceful ending to this scenario seemed nowhere in sight.

'I have to get away from her," Jinx thought glumly. 'I can't tell her the truth and I can't even seem to drive her off. I'm too damn lovable or something! It's comical in essence.'

Since the TV was bought Raven had barely spent an entire hour actually watching it. Both girls had shunned news broadcasts. Jinx, because she had always thought they were boring and Raven because they were predominately about the destruction of Jump City at the hands of the U.S. government.

Raven joined Jinx on the floor and handed her a small apple pie. Raven ate her own pie giving no attention to the TV. Whenever Jinx took station before the boob tube, garbage was the order of the day. From Jerry Springer to that guy who claims to speak to the dead. From whatever reality TV show was on to MTV. Living with Beast Boy for so long gave Raven more than enough experience in blocking trashy programming from her thoughts. Jinx reminded Raven of Beast Boy in some ways, and in other ways, she reminded her of herself. Jinx was an acolyte. Her power was drawn from a demon living in another dimension. Raven was daughter to Trigon. The worst demon there was(2). So here they both were. Living amongst mortals on a planet with very few others they could relate too.

"Did you see that?" Jinx said, suddenly pointing at the picture box she so adored and laughing hysterically.

"No," Raven answered flatly. She was thoroughly enjoying her pie.

"You too good for TV or something?" Jinx accused her.

"Most of it," Raven said. "This is all trash. It does little to improve your standing in life."

"Yeah. Junk food for your brain. Isn't it great?"

"Whatever floats your boat, Jinx."

"Fine miss high and mighty. What would further my place in life?"

"The discover channel is-" Raven was cut of by a hiss. "The History channel-" Jinx started hissing again.

"You damn heretic! That's not how you use a TV!" Jinx told her.

Again, experience with Beast Boy aided Raven's tolerance for Jinx's preposterous behavior. That and the fact that she missed Beast Boy as much as she missed the rest of her team.

"History Channel? Honestly! That's why people like you are not allowed to operate a remote," Jinx was still ranting.

"Yes. We tend to try to change the world around us to suit our needs including destroying the ignorance of those who embrace anarchy such as you," Raven lectured. The mage sent her empty foil pastry dish into the trash with her power and moved towards the window. "I'm going to meditate."

"Smart ass," Jinx scoffed once Raven had departed. She rolled on her back and swooned. "I'm a glutton for punishment. I could listen to her slander me all day. Donno why really. I like to argue I guess." Jinx confessed to the empty room.

"No! No! Focus! She has to go!" Jinx told herself.

* * *

Screams. Destruction. People running and buildings falling. It had been a while since she had been in the thick of it, but now that it was all around her she felt like she had never been away.

Raven shot at her target like a homing missal. His back was to her and his attention was on the harnesses around the neck of a moth the size of two houses. Following Raven were pitch-black sewer lids, streetlights, newspaper vending machines and chunks of pavement.

"What are you after, Killer Moth?" Raven shouted at the bug man standing on the back of the giant bug.

"Ah, Titan," Killer Moth said noticing Raven in her street clothes. "It's not what it looks like."

"Right...Those people down there must be just running and screaming at the top of their lungs for the exercise," Raven quipped, preparing to launch her projectiles.

"Look!" Killer Moth hissed, yanking on harnesses that did nothing to stop the rampaging creature he rode. "I'm not attacking this city. He is!"

At that moment the monstrosity shoulder-charged a sky scrapper, sending rubble raining down on the streets below.

"Calm down!" Killer Moth roared. The creature screeched and took off for the park.

"So you can't control your pet?" Raven asked as she darted alongside them.

"You think I can make a profit off random violence? I didn't set up ransoms or anything!" The big insect man reasoned.

"Fine," Raven replied, "But you were suppose to be in jail last I remember and that's where you're going once were done."

"We'll see about that," Killer Moth said.

Raven started to toss her projectiles at the giant moth in an attempt to knock it out. It only shook its massive head after each blow.

"That's quite a hard head you have there. I'm going to need-" Raven cut herself off as she dived to avoid some form of defensive slime the moth was shooting at her from it's maw.

"Bad Xx21. Look at the mess you've got me in!" Killer moth was shouting.

Raven's next target the creature's legs. She ripped streetlights from the ground with her demonic magic and wrapped them around the moth's limbs. It let Raven know what it thought of this development by letting off a glass-shattering screech. This was followed by more projectile goo. Raven defended herself with a black mailbox she used for a shield.

The moth forgot Raven and focused on trying to free itself from her binding. Killer Moth took this moment to try his luck with his old discipline tool. A laser whip.

"No!" Raven shouted as the whip came down on the bug's back. The giant moth cried and fought harder, in turn, making it harder for Raven to keep her makeshift metal cuffs in place.

"You will do as I command!" Killer Moth ordered as his whip came down again. With a lurch, his creation freed itself from Raven's bonds and slammed into a building. It was trying to remove its tyrannical owner.

"I think it would be the in the best interest of all if I removed that...itch." Raven said summoning her power.

"Wretched beast!" Killer Moth growled as he fought to hang onto the tantrum ridden brute. His struggle came to an end when a car hit him. An all black car.

"Whaaaaa!" he cried as he fell to the streets. That same car was then used to trounce the moth's head. Unable to defend itself, it rocketed toward the sky, lopped and dive bombed for Raven. Raven threw the car with her power but it only bounced off the moth. Raven erected a black shield just before the moth collided with her but the impact sent her to the ground like a falling arrow. A Volks Wagon Bus cushioned her fall as much as an avalanche could. Satisfied, the giant moth flew off.

"That could have went better..." Raven gurgled. She was having trouble seeing the moth between the stars orbiting her head at the moment. Slowly, she peeled herself off the van and dropped to the ground.

"Having a grand old time aren't we?" a voice greeted her. Raven's dazed gaze rested on Jinx. Her arms were crossed and she looked upset. Just what the mage needed.

"What's up Jinx?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were going after that thing?" Jinx's voice revealed her feelings. She was disappointed in Raven.

One of Raven's brows narrowed. With her ample skill in empathy it was a surprise to find that there were still things she just missed. She had no clue how her actions could trouble Jinx. She had been meditating, saw a giant bug assaulting the city and decided to take it on. Why did Jinx even care? Raven was the former superhero after all.

"Why?" Raven finally asked.

"'Cause maybe I might have wanted to help!" Jinx exclaimed.

"You..." Raven stammered. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Yeah. You're doing a bag up job by yourself. I should just hang back with a shovel and wait to scrape your sorry ass of the sidewalk. Miss 'I'm a lone wolf.'" Jinx pouted.

"Fine," Raven sighed. "I know this will be difficult, especially for you, but try to keep a low profile, ok?"

Even with the help of Jinx, it was still one of the hardest fights Raven had fought in a long time, but they did finally manage to incapacitate the beast bug.

"Heh. Who needs a gym when you got Godzilla's ex-girlfriend stalking around town," Jinx huffed, collapsing on a crooked bus stop bench. "...you ever seen the one where he fights the giant moth, Ravy?"

"We should get out of here," Raven said. A quick scan of the area confirmed that Killer Moth had already done just that. As Raven surveyed the damage to their surroundings a poster board and a marker were floating out of the store behind Jinx. "Before the cops show up and start asking questions."

"You're stowing me away from the police? My, Ravy! That sounds so... scandalous!" Jinx said with deranged delight.

Raven turned her attention to the giant bug sleeping in the street. "...I know..." She answered without any hint of emotion. When the marker finished scribbling on the poster board she placed it near the moth. It read "Titan was here. Just passing through." Jinx read it and started laughing. Raven paid her no mind, grabbed her arm and teleported onto a building, then flew off with her.

Though the battle was over Jinx was still fighting one. Raven's arms were around her waist as they flew just below the clouds. Their cheeks were nearly touching. It was all she could do not to swoon and rest against the other girl.

"You alright? You look a little pale. Paler than usual, I mean," Raven said, examining Jinx's expression. Jinx turned away.

"I feel kinda sick," she lied.

"Hang on. Were almost there."

* * *

Jinx spent the rest of the evening in bed. Raven kept an eye on her as well as the news broadcasts about their fight. She was relieved to find that there wasn't much of it actually caught on camera.

Jinx pretended to be asleep in order to get some time to herself. A strange thing to require from Raven, a girl who would willingly ignore everyone and everything even if that was the last thing you wanted. Jinx used the time to ruminate on her dilemma. She thought for hours. Her mind later noted that the same infomercial had been playing for an awful long time on her TV. This meant one of two things. Either Raven was interested in purchasing pills to enlarge an organ she didn't have, or maybe for a special male companion, or...

"She's asleep," Jinx confirmed, finding Raven sprawled out on the floor before the TV. How uncharacteristic.

"Look at you. All peaceful and serene while there is a war going on inside my head over you," Jinx whispered. She was putting herself through what she could only describe as sweet torture.

Jinx watched Raven silently for a minute more, and then lifted her from the ground intent on putting her to bed. It was in Jinx's arms that Raven's eyes fluttered open.

"Jinx? Aren't you sick?" Raven asked half awake.

"I never was- uh..." Jinx slipped. "You fell asleep on the floor," she added quickly. She had already made it to Raven's mattress and began to lie her down on it.

"Wait. What were you about to say?" Raven asked sitting up.

"I-I don't want to talk about it," Jinx said, turning her back to Raven as if that would be the end of it.

"Is something wrong?" Raven's voice finally tittered on that rare edge of concern that was always so appealing to Jinx's ears.

"Yes...I mean no! Don't worry about it, ok?" Jinx was flustered. She was unraveling.

"I can't do that," Raven said. Conviction was in her voice. It gave a Jinx a chill. "I'm concerned, but I won't push you. I know what it's like to keep secrets. To feel like you have to keep secrets," Raven said walking around to stand before Jinx. "I also know how hard it can be to confide in others. I'd like to think that we're close enough that you can tell me anything, but that's really your call. So just consider it, ok?" Raven asked Jinx.

Jinx swallowed and nodded sadly. This girl was unreal. She knew everything!

"I can tell you anything?" Jinx asked softly. Her gaze shifted to the ground.

"Yes you can," Raven said with confidence. She knew Jinx. She was sure whatever deep dark secrets she still harbored were understandable and more than forgivable.

"I love you," Jinx sputtered.

(1)I donno anything about Beast Boy's parents. They're just a plot device here. Sorry if that irks you.

(2)Improvising. May not be true of the cartoon version of Jinx.


	4. The Clincher

**Lost file: Corbin Love Sub-Rosa.**

**Chapter 4: The Clincher**

**

* * *

**

For some reason the words caused her body to tense. She shrugged the effect off. They were just words. Like all words they could have one of hundreds of meanings. Jinx was probably-

Jinx was sitting on her bed in a room lit only by the TV staring directly into Raven's eyes with attention demanding sincerity. Alarms were going off in Raven's head now.

"I'm rather fond of you too-" Raven stated carefully.

"No!" Jinx interrupted. "I mean I _love_ love you. Not as a friend..." She swallowed watching Raven as she prepared to drop the bomb. "But as...like...a soul mate."

The confession hit faster than lighting and was just as shocking. Raven's train of thought seemed to shut down if not derail, or both. She stood there, lips parted, eyes blank, staring at her best friend who had just completely changed shape.

The first thing Raven actually did was back away. The gesture startled Jinx. Raven was frightened of her! She was scaring the best friend she had ever had. Without thinking she reached for the fleeting form of her happiness that was Raven. In the dark the careless box spring reminded her of its presence when it caught her foot, causing her to stumble into Raven. They fell to the floor together.

The next thing Raven saw were those cotton candy pink eyes. Ones she had come to know well. They were inches from her now.

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!" Jinx gushed like a punctured garden hose and scrambled off of Raven.

Raven sat up in the dark room trying to clear her whirling head. Jinx stood silently awaiting her judgment.

'Come on Raven! Get a grip,' the mage told herself. 'Ok. Now what just happened? She's a lesbian?'

"Raven..." Jinx's voice sounded so frail but to Raven's vertiginous state of mind it struck her like a whip.

"I-I need to think," Raven said, moving away from Jinx. An explosion of black energy replaced the girl. The magic itself soon faded into the shadows.

For a minute Jinx just stood there letting the realization wash over her.

"Yeah. I'd get away from me too if I could..." Jinx told herself. She felt like crying. She was sure she would. The look in Raven's eyes...it all hurt so badly, but no tears came. Jinx gave her weight to her box spring and retrieved her money clip. The clasp held a fist full of cash.

"Least I still got you. You don't care who I try to sleep with," Jinx said to the money. Her words were followed by sniffles. She wiped at her eyes and was disappointed to find fresh tears on the tips of her fingers.

"Noooo," Jinx groaned. "This is what I wanted. She's gone. Now I can...get back to business." Her words did not stop the small rivers running down her cheeks.

* * *

The black swath cut across the sky, its ending stroke leading to a sky scrapper. The solitude of the rooftop was disturbed by a troubled young half demon. Raven now stood atop the building. Her mind burned with questions.

"Why didn't I see this coming?" Where the fist words to leave her mouth. She cataloged her past experiences for any signs that this was going to happen. She could find nothing definitive, which meant she either wasn't as good at reading people as she thought or that Jinx was just very good at covering her motives.

"So what I have here is a situation," Raven said, her mind finally clearing. Her gaze rested on the city below as she thought. "Jinx thinks she's in love with me...or maybe she is in love with me, but I don't feel the same. So I'll just have to tell her." With that resolution came something else. Something rare for Raven. She tried to imagine Jinx's reaction.

Raven use to be considered brutal with her bluntness. Rest assured if things sucked she'd tell you they sucked. No icing. No fluff. No bull. Now she found herself considering tailoring her news for the sake of Jinx. Things sure had changed.

Raven sighed when the desire to let Jinx down easy didn't leave her as fast as it should have.

"Skating around the issue will only make it hurt more," she convinced herself.

Raven's attention was then taken by a strange sight in the sky. When her eyes caught the craft she blinked twice, certain she was seeing things. If she were not, then that was the T-Ship floating around miles above her head.

The ship was following a large yellow spotlight with a big letter "T" in the middle. The Light originated from the craft itself. They obviously wanted some attention.

"Very well," Raven said raising a hand high, all the while wondering who could be piloting it. Her first guess was Cyborg. He had been the one to evacuate the thing from Jump City before it was blown up anyway. He must have found out she was here after she defeated the giant moth.

From Raven's hand shot a stream of black light. Once high enough it exploded and became a large black bird. As expected, the ship noticed it and began to gravitate towards her position. What wasn't expected was the first person she saw in one of it's many cockpits.

"Room for one more!" Beast Boy cheered. His skin was green again and he was even in uniform.

"We were just talking about you girl," Cyborg called from his own cockpit.

"It is glorious to see you again, friend Raven," Starfire exclaimed appearing in the next cockpit that opened.

"Another city in need, but after watching the news I realize I don't need to tell you that," Robin said appearing in the lead cockpit. "Nice job on the moth Raven, but we were all hoping you weren't getting too attached to the solo gig," Robin said smiling.

Raven looked stupefied. Any other minute before now she could have been dwelling on how unlikely it was that she'd ever see them all together again and now here they were before her.

"I should have known a nuclear missal wouldn't keep you apart for long," Raven said shaking her head. A grin crept onto her features.

"Nicely put," Robin said grinning.

"You ready or what?" Beast Boy called to her. At that instant she started to leap for the craft but a thought restrained her.

"Robin, I need to talk to you first," Raven said plainly.

* * *

When the ex criminal awoke she couldn't remember where she was. She didn't even remember falling asleep. It was her apartment but with memories of last night washing over her even now she knew it would never look the same. It was no longer the drab but comfy nest she had spent countless hours with the only real friend she had had in a long time. It was now a crime scene. The place she managed to scare off even someone as strong willed as Raven.

"Guess I really am a freak. So there goes my shot and being a Girl Scout leader. So what? I'm glad she's gone," Jinx told herself as she sat up.

"I'm glad I know you well enough to know you don't mean what you just said," a voice broke the silence much like a brick meeting a window in the worst way. Jinx whirled to face the source with a start. Her heart began to pound against her chest.

"You-...You're back..." Jinx stammered looking Raven over, wondering how much of last night she remembered. Wouldn't it be wonderful if it all turned out to be a bad dream? Seeing Raven now...she almost wished she had simply kept her mouth shut and that they could go on the way they had been going.

"I said I needed time to think," Raven said frowning slightly.

Jinx blinked. Absently, she noted that Raven was in her Titan's uniform.

"Where'd you go...last night?" Jinx asked scratching her arm.

"Out. But only for an hour. When I came back you were asleep. I slept here and still woke up before you."

Jinx only half listened. Her mind was more absorbed with greater concerns.

"So... I disgust you, right?" Jinx asked but gave her gaze to her feet.

"Absolutely not." Raven said it so calmly Jinx thought she was being sarcastic for a moment. "Your sexual preference is harmless. The rest of humanity will realize that one day... you just caught me off guard yesterday. I apologize for my actions"

Jinx looked at Raven with astonishment written all over her face.

"But before you get the wrong idea I most tell you that while I do care for you, I do not care for you in the same way you were hoping."

Jinx's head dropped as she took this in. She had been rejected. And so calmly. So easily. It really hurt, but what could she do? This was Raven. This was the way Raven worked. Would she rather Raven run into the hills screaming and damning Jinx to whatever devils truly existed?

"Gosh, you sound so diplomatic about it..." Jinx sulked. 'Ok. Don't turn into a bitch now...' Jinx coached herself. 'I lose fair and square...' she hoped she wouldn't say something she'd regret under these harsh circumstances.

"I'm sorry," Raven told her. Her voice was tipped with sincerity. " I hope we can still be friends." Raven offered and watched for Jinx's response intently.

Jinx was silent for a long time and so Raven was patient for a long time.

'I freak'n lose! Again.' The words kept repeating in Jinx's head. 'And she still wants to be my friend...'

"Know what I hate about you?" Jinx's muffled voice reached Raven's ears. Her head was still down. "I can't stay mad at you for too long," Jinx said, raising her head and giving Raven a sad smile.

Raven smirked. "Hopefully I'll learn more about this trait in the days to come. Which brings me to out next topic. My friends are back Jinx."

Jinx's eyes doubled in size but she said nothing.

"We've just been given jurisdiction over Arizona. The Titans are back. For this reason I'm ..." Raven broke off to phrase what she wanted to say differently... "Listen Jinx. Robin is talking to the government. He's telling them how you helped me. He should be able to convince them to grant you a pardon if you cooperate," Raven said.

"Cooperate with the government?" Jinx said springing to her feet and looking offended. "No way Ravy. Me and authority figures do not get along."

"Jinx. You either claim the heroism you displayed several times in my presence or go back to jail," Raven told her firmly. "It's very likely you'll get probation and that a Titan will be in charge of you. With a little urging from our over-seers you could even become a Titan."

Jinx fell silent again, obviously weighing her options.

"And who said I wanted to become a Titan?" Jinx asked distantly.

"You would make a great Titan," Raven told her honestly.

A Titan? A Titan? Jinx couldn't wrap her head around the idea. Then Raven had to say it.

"Please Jinx. I don't want to arrest you."

Raven had just begged her. Modestly, but still begged Jinx to join her team.

* * *

From that point on things went better then anyone could have expected. Jinx was given a second chance. The Mayor was an ex-con himself a lifetime ago, as well as a Vietnam vet, and believed highly in the idea of Jinx trying to reform. The Titans themselves were also the subjects of second chances. They had failed the first city they had sworn to protect after all.

The Titan's less than glorious new base was in fact an old movie theater. To the dismay of the government officiated remodelers the teens were still arguing over the final design of the building. Starfire and Cyborg were attached to the original "T" shaped design. Robin felt that it was a reminder of their previous failure and should be forgotten. Beast Boy favored a new design that looked like a water park. Raven didn't care what it looked like as long as Beast Boy had nothing to do with the blueprint.

Jinx's second lease on life started out strict but she quickly earned the trust and respect of everyone involved in her reform.

It had seemed like a year but it had only been three weeks. The last major change was one that Raven would experience.

On a rare night the girls were the only ones in the base. At the insistence of Cyborg and Beast Boy one of the large cinema rooms had been left intact while the rest of the base would later become the super teams headquarters.

Jinx had dozed off during the movie and her head rested on Raven's shoulder. Since her confession, Jinx had made no mention of her attraction to Raven. Raven was well aware that the feelings were still there but Jinx had pushed them aside for the sake of their friendship and for that she was grateful. Only now, from time to time, she wondered why she wouldn't return them in the first place.

'Well,' Raven set out to explain her reasons to herself. 'I'm busy. We got lots to do, like...' Raven then drew a consecutive serious of blanks. The remodeling was in the hands of others who still didn't know what to do without an official blue print from the Titans. Unless the alarms were ringing she didn't have to do a damn thing. A need for meditation couldn't be blamed. It wasn't required for every waking hour she existed.

'...um...did I try...the fact that she's a girl?' Raven asked herself, running out of excuses. 'But I always fancied myself with a man,' Raven thought, her eyes trailing to the pink haired head resting on her shoulder. She had fancied it more than she was willing to admit. She was secretly flattered when she found herself the center of attention during her and Jinx's trip to the beach and was swarmed by males the entire time. She told herself that they were only interested in her body or that they were entertaining some fetish but she knew not all of them were. Jinx wasn't.

'So why am I even thinking about this again?' Raven wondered.

The debate continued in the back of Raven's head as she watched the old black and white movie. Soon new images burned in her mind. The movie was replaced with Raven and her possible lover. A soul mate. A kindred spiritSomeone enough like her and enough their own person that Raven wouldn't feel like she was talking to a mirror or a yes man-Or yes woman? Someone who could amuse her, comfort her, understand her and even get her goat sometimes. With a flinch she realized that person was sitting right next to her.

"Oh hell..." Raven said, shaking her head.

The epiphany didn't leave once the movie ended. In fact it never would.

* * *

"You want whipped cream on your pie?" Raven asked simply enough the following evening. Her friends were milling about what they called a kitchen but it looked like the snack bar portion of a movie theater lobby. Possibly because it was. Raven was removing several pies from an oven that had been installed.

"Whipped cream is only meant for the bedroom," Jinx commented flippantly, then continued a conversation with Beast Boy. Images flashed through Raven's mind that would make a liar of her if she dare said they were completely unwelcome.

"Earth to Raven!" Cyborg shouted down her poor ear. "I know pie is great. Like a work of art, but you have to let it go if we're going to eat any of it!"

Raven growled at him and surrendered the pie.

After the meal Jinx and Beast Boy started to play the Game-station A fight soon broke out over proper two player gaming ethics and was settled traditionally with a tickling match. The disturbing thing about tickling bouts to Raven was that the loser always looked like the one enjoying his or herself the most. In this case, it was Beast Boy who looked like he might laugh himself into a coma.

It was at this moment that Raven noted how close the two had become. They were like brother and sister. But since they were obviously not blood related their relationship was free to develop into something more. At present, this bothered Raven.

'I'm might as well not beat around the bush and just admit that...I'm concerned but it's not like I can tell her not to fall in love with anyone else because I may, or may not be in love with her The only real question is...am I in love with her' Raven said, retreating to her room.

Events were about to give Raven a hand in making up her mind.

* * *

Jinx hammered Raven's door like the building was on fire. She had a big cheeky grin ready once the owner slid the door open.

"What the hell do you want?" Raven asked. She looked like she had just lain down to rest before the interruption. She wore only her leotard.

"Greetings roomy!"

"Explanation?"

"I require someplace dry to sleep. Weren't you listening to me when I said there was a leak in my room?"

"...No... Why don't you ask Cyborg to fix it?"

"After today's battle? He's still recharging. I'll probably be asleep by the time he wakes up, if he even bothers to wake up at all tonight that is."

"Fine..." Raven said moving aside to let Jinx and her white, silk pajama garbed self in.

"Whoopie! Slumber party. Where do I sleep?"

"Eh...on the floor?" Raven suggested.

"I could do that...If I were sharing a room with a heartless, insensitive, half demon babe from below."

"And am I?"

"Just the babe part," Jinx said smugly hopping onto Raven's bed. "You've gotta hard, jagged shell but you're as soft as the Pills Bury Doough Boy on the inside."

"You're a very silly girl," Raven said closing the door and turning to her currently occupied bed.

"That book you mad me read really messed with my very silly head."

"I didn't make you read it."

"Actually I had read it before, but man. That pig kept working the poor girl and wouldn't feed her! It's like a metaphor for how men treat women right?" Jinx asked Raven.

Raven's expression fell blanker than usual as she tried to figure how Jinx came to this conclusion after reading Charlotte's Web.

"I'm kidding!" Jinx assured her.

"I can only hope," Raven said climbing on the bed and sitting beside Jinx. Raven sat silently trying to gage whether Jinx's showing up like this was a gift or an omen. Though she had protested she liked having Jinx in her room. It felt right. Should she tell her now? Let it all out? What did she have to lose?

"You still love me Jinx?" Raven finally forced the question from herself. The room suddenly became hotter. The mage realized she was actually nervous. 'I'll be damned if I'm going to back off now,' Raven vowed.

Jinx was startled speechless by the question. This was certainly the last thing she ever thought she'd find herself discussing tonight.

"Yeah...why?" she asked wide-eyed.

"I want to try to return those feelings," Raven said with earnest.

"Really?" Jinx short of gasped.

"Yes. Earlier... I simply hadn't ever considered looking that way. At girls I mean. It was shortsighted of me I guess..." Raven professed. Jinx was trapped by Raven's eyes, unable and unwilling to look away.

"Uh...Jinx? Is that a yes?"

"Eh? Huh? Hell yes!" Jinx boomed not ready to let the chance slip by. "Geeze... I had given up on you Ravy. Heartbreaker. So you'll be my girlfriend?" Raven's face was an inch from hers.

"I want to try," Raven cautioned pulling back, as excitement began to wash over her. She fought to remain natural

"What will we tell the others?"

"The truth," Raven answered pointedly, showing even now that she didn't care if they approved or now.

Jinx was consumed with so much joy and happiness she didn't know what to do with herself.

"At least now we've figured out the sleeping arrangements." Jinx's expression reflected puzzlement, but she soon learned what Raven meant. Jinx's body was pulled into a laying position by unseen forces that were Raven's doing. There, Raven wrapped her arms around Jinx as the navy blue comforter trapped them and the lights went out.

If simply having Jinx in her room felt right then having her in bed felt like a law. Her body was dowsed in warmth. She felt more alive now then ever before and she knew her friend felt the same way which seemed to increase the feelings ten fold. This was right.

The bliss was disturbed by a sniffling.

"What's wrong?" Raven asked, propping herself up on one arm and looking at Jinx.

"Don't look at me," Jinx said burring her face in the pillow.

"Jinx..." Raven's voice teetered on worry. Had she made a mistake?

"I'm so happy I'm...crying...ok?" Jinx voice was wretched between sobs. She apparently was not too proud of this fact. Raven was relieved.

"Sissy," Raven teased.

"Bitch," Jinx countered.

"I love you," the words bound from Raven like excess pollen from a bee's wings. They surprised her but she didn't mind.

"I love you too gorgeous," Jinx said looking up at her lover. She leaned up; her eyes were slaves to Raven's. Seconds after she pressed her lips against Raven's for a short but no less thrilling kiss.

**End**

Yes. It's over.

Someone should probably write about the actual relationship from this point on. Hmm... how about you? If anyone is interested e-mail me. Other wise I'm done here.


End file.
